Afgantsy: The Russians in Afghanistan, 1979-1989

The Russians in Afghanistan 1979-89

Nonfiction, History, Asian, Former Soviet Republics, Modern, 20th Century
Cover of the book Afgantsy: The Russians in Afghanistan, 1979-1989 by Rodric Braithwaite, Oxford University Press, USA
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Rodric Braithwaite ISBN: 9780199911516
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA Publication: August 4, 2011
Imprint: Oxford University Press Language: English
Author: Rodric Braithwaite
ISBN: 9780199911516
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Publication: August 4, 2011
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Language: English

The story of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan is well known: the expansionist Communists overwhelmed a poor country as a means of reaching a warm-water port on the Persian Gulf. Afghan mujahideen upset their plans, holding on with little more than natural fighting skills, until CIA agents came to the rescue with American arms. Humiliated in battle, the Soviets hastily retreated. It's a great story, writes Rodric Braithwaite. But it never happened. The Russian conscripts suffered badly from mismanagement and strategic errors, but they were never defeated on the battlefield, and withdrew in good order. In this brilliant, myth-busting account, Braithwaite--the former British ambassador to Moscow--challenges much of what we know about the Soviets in Afghanistan. He provides an inside look at this little-understood episode, using first-hand accounts and piercing analysis to show the war as it was fought and experienced by the Russians. The invasion, he writes, was a defensive response to a chaotic situation in the Soviets' immediate neighbor. They intended to establish a stable, friendly government, secure the major towns, and train the police and armed forces before making a rapid exit. But the mission escalated, as did casualties. In fact, the Soviet leadership decided to pull out a year before the first Stinger missile was used in combat. Braithwaite does not, of course, paint the occupation as a Russian triumph. To the contrary, he illustrates the searing effect of the brutal conflict on soldiers, their families, and the broader public, as returning veterans--the Afgansty of the title--struggled to regain their footing back home. A fine writer as well as an expert, Braithwaite carries readers through these complex and momentous events, capturing those violent and tragic days as no one has done before.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The story of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan is well known: the expansionist Communists overwhelmed a poor country as a means of reaching a warm-water port on the Persian Gulf. Afghan mujahideen upset their plans, holding on with little more than natural fighting skills, until CIA agents came to the rescue with American arms. Humiliated in battle, the Soviets hastily retreated. It's a great story, writes Rodric Braithwaite. But it never happened. The Russian conscripts suffered badly from mismanagement and strategic errors, but they were never defeated on the battlefield, and withdrew in good order. In this brilliant, myth-busting account, Braithwaite--the former British ambassador to Moscow--challenges much of what we know about the Soviets in Afghanistan. He provides an inside look at this little-understood episode, using first-hand accounts and piercing analysis to show the war as it was fought and experienced by the Russians. The invasion, he writes, was a defensive response to a chaotic situation in the Soviets' immediate neighbor. They intended to establish a stable, friendly government, secure the major towns, and train the police and armed forces before making a rapid exit. But the mission escalated, as did casualties. In fact, the Soviet leadership decided to pull out a year before the first Stinger missile was used in combat. Braithwaite does not, of course, paint the occupation as a Russian triumph. To the contrary, he illustrates the searing effect of the brutal conflict on soldiers, their families, and the broader public, as returning veterans--the Afgansty of the title--struggled to regain their footing back home. A fine writer as well as an expert, Braithwaite carries readers through these complex and momentous events, capturing those violent and tragic days as no one has done before.

More books from Oxford University Press, USA

Cover of the book They Never Said It : A Book of Fake Quotes Misquotes and Misleading Attributions by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book The Cultural Nature of Human Development by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Max/MSP/Jitter for Music : A Practical Guide to Developing Interactive Music Systems for Education and More by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Memoirs of a Militia Sergeant by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Fundamentalism And American Culture by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Your Brain on Food:How Chemicals Control Your Thoughts and Feelings by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book The Silk Road: A Very Short Introduction by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Helping Children with Selective Mutism and Their Parents:A Guide for School-Based Professionals by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book The Walls Came Tumbling Down : The Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book The Hospice Companion by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Keeping Faith With The Constitution by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Listening through the Noise : The Aesthetics of Experimental Electronic Music by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics by Rodric Braithwaite
Cover of the book Grand Expectations: The United States, 1945-1974 by Rodric Braithwaite
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy